Variable-speed transport apparatus

ABSTRACT

A variable-speed passenger transporter for conveying passengers from a stationary surface to a belt moving at constant speed, which includes a plurality of rhomboid platforms driven along guide means in a closed circuit along a section of which the platforms are in contacting relationship to form a moving floor. Along the initial portion of this section the platforms travel at low speed and at right angles to their center lines towards the belt but at an angle thereto. Along the following portion they are shifted along one another without changing their orientation to increase their speed until they come alongside the belt. The platforms then move with the belt at more or less the same speed as the latter and at an angle thereto, the oblique ends of the rhomboid platforms providing the moving floor with a substantially straight edge at least alongside the belt. A reverse, decelerating, arrangement and various modified constructional forms are also provided.

I United States Patent [1113,580,182

[72] Inventors Gabriel Bouladon 3,238,893 3/1966 Zuppiger 104/25 p/3,485,182 12/1969 Crowder 104/25 gf f t ggt Athena/Geneva PrimaryExaminer-Arthur L. La Point [2]] pp No 818,241 Assistant Examiner-DEV.Keen {22] Filed Apr. 22, 1969 Attorney-Waters, llodlt Schwartz & Nissen[45] Patented May 25, 1971 h [73] Assxgnee gfi yg fi d ABSTRACT: Avariable-speed passenger transporter for con- P A er an veyingpassengers from a stationary surface to a belt moving at [33] non y landconstant speed, which includes a plurality of rhomboid plat- 31 so/6'8forms driven along guide means in a closed circuit along a sec- 1 tionof which the platforms are in contacting relationship to form a movingfloor. Along the initial portion of this section 54 VARIABLESPEEDTRANSPORT APPARATUS the platforms travel at lOW speed and at rightangles to their 11 Claims 17 Drawing Figs center lines towards the beltbut at an angle thereto. Along the following portion they are shiftedalong one another without [52] US. Cl changing their orientation toincrease their speed until they [51] P- G 3 17/06 come alongside thebelt. The platforms then move with the [50] Field of Search he at moreor less the Same speed as the latter and at an angle thereto, theoblique ends of the rhomboid platforms providing [56] References Citedthe moving floor with a substantially straight edge at least UNITEDSTATES PATENTS alongside the belt. A reverse, decelerating, arrangementand 3,236,191 2/ 1966 Bouladon et al various modified constructionalforms are also provided.

PATENTEU HAYZS I97! SHEET 2 OF 6 sum 5 OF 6 FIG.

llllllll Illllllil PATENIEU M25 an FIG. /4

FIG. /5

PATENTED was I971 3,580,182

SHEET 6 OF 6 1 VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSPORT APPARATUS This invention relatesto a transporter, in particular for conveying passengers, of the kindcomprising a plurality of transport platforms which have parallellongitudinal edges and g which are are arranged to move over a closedcircuit, common drive means for causing said platforms to move at arelatively low speed transversely to their longitudinal axis through aloading or unloading zone of said circuit and to move at a higher speedover at least one transport section of said circuit along a trajectorywhich is transverse to the one followed by said platforms when movingatsaid low speed, said circuit including at least one link section lyingbetween said transport section and said loading or unloading zone overwhich the speed of each platform is brought gradually from its highervalue to its lower value or vice versa, and means marking out apassageway meant to be followed by the users over the portion of thecircuit lying between said loading or unloading zone and the terminal orstarting end of said transport section.

Various such transporters are already known and in some of thesetransporters the platforms change their orientation when passing fromthe loading or unloading zone to the higher speed transport sections.

For instance, there is disclosed in French Pat. Specification No.619,659 a passenger transporter wherein the platforms together form anarticulated train which folds accordionwise in the passenger loading andunloading zones and which straightens out along the transport sectionuntil the platforms come to lie end to end, their longitudinal axis thenbecoming parallel to their axis of movement along this section.

According to another arrangement also described and illustrated in thisFrench Pat. Specification, a plurality of platforms, which are initiallypiled up side by side, are made to come into end-to-end alignment bysliding one platform relatively to another and at the same time causingit to topple through 90 in a way similar to that of a row of booksslipping along a shelf until they finally come to occupy a position inwhich they all lie down flat on the shelf.

These two solutions necessitate imparting to the platforms relativelylarge angular accelerations when they are being brought into end-to-endrelationship unless the sections of the circuit along which the changein platform orientation takes place are particularly long (hence takingup a large amount of space). Moreover, the centrifugal forces due to thechanges in orientation will be appreciably greater at the ends of theplatforms than near their middle portions and passengers standing atthese ends may feel substantial discomfort from these centrifugalforces.

Furthermore, the transporter whose platforms spread out accordionwisesuffers from an additional drawback: upon moving into end-to-endalignment the initially adjacent platforms come to be moved angularlythrough 180 in relation to one another so that passengers, who all geton the platforms with the same orientation since they cannot anticipatethe orientation that these platforms will conie to have along thetransport sections, come to travel along these transport sec tions somefacing the direction of movement and others with their backs turnedthereto, depending on the platform on which they happen to be. Thus somepassengers may arrive at the alighting deck with their backs turnedthereto, thereby making it necessary for them to do a quick about turnwhile their platform is still moving.

It has already been proposed to obviate the above drawbacks, inparticular in Swiss Pat. Specification No. 385,732, by providing thetransporter with guide means which force adjacent platforms to shiftboth transversely and longitudinally, one alongside the other, whilethey are travelling along the section of the circuit which lies betweenthe loading and unloading zones, on the one hand, and the maximum-speedtransport section, on the other hand, in such a way as to keep asubstantially unchanging orientation of the platforms during passengertransport.

In either case, the various platforms only form a continuous floor inthe loading and unloading zones of the transporters and rapidly come tobe so positioned over the remainder of their transport path as toleaveempty spaces on opposite sides of their surface, this beingparticularly dangerous for passengers.

It was subsequently proposed to improve the transporter described in theabove Swiss Pat. Specification by causing the platforms to move betweenwalls that are in contact with their free edges and which becomedeformed at the platforms move along so that this contact may bepermanent. Such an arrangement is obviously particularly complex,delicate and expensive.

An object of the present invention is to provide a transporter free fromthe drawbacks of these known arrangements.

According to the invention there is provided a transporter of the kindset forth further comprising guide means for so guiding said platformsin their movement that each platform remains in mutual contact with itstwo adjacent platforms by at least part of its longitudinal edgesthroughout displacement along said passageway, the forward motion ofsaid platforms,

at least in the higher speed transport section of the circuit, takingplace at an angular position such that the longitudinal edgesof saidplatforms form in relation to their direction of motion an angle lyingbetween 0 and and the lengthwise extent of said platforms being at leastsufficient to form a continuous moving floor over the entire area ofsaid passageway.

In the accompanying diagrammatic drawings: FIG. 1 is a plan view of afirst station for loading and unloading passengers on and off two movingbelts, and which includes two similar transporters according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view on a larger scale of a loading passageway and ofan unloading passageway comprised by such a station;

FIG. 3 is a section along line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section along line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section along Iine-V-V of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view ofa number of platforms visible in FIG. 2 showingcertain features of the platform guide means;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line VIIIVIII of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a plan view of a second station for loading and unloadingpassengers on and off two moving belts and which includes a further twosimilar transporters according to the invention but different from thoseshown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a partial view of FIG. 9 on an enlarged scale and in greaterdetail;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of one of the platforms visible in FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of a modified form of platform;

FIG. 13 illustrates diagrammatically the use which can be made thereof;and

FIGS. 14, I5, 16 and 17 show four other forms of stations includingtransporters according to the invention.

The arrangement which can be seen in FIG. 1 constitutes a loading andunloading station in a system for transporting people, at a constantspeed-V, of, say, about 10 km. per hour, on two belts A and B moving inopposite directions.

This station comprises two similar transporters each defining a loadingtrack, which loading tracks serve to convey people on to the belts bysubjecting them to continuous acceleration along their initial portionso that their speed along the terminal part of each track may besubstantially identical to the speed of travel of the belt with which itis associated, this latter speed being several times greater than thespeed at which people are conveyed when they first step on to the track.

Each transporter device also defines an unloading track for conveyingpassengers stepping off belts A and B. Along this track passengers aresubjected to continuous deceleration whereby their initial speed whichis substantially equal to the speed of travel of the belt off which theyhave stepped may be reduced to a very much lower speed, for exampleequal to the speed at which passengers are conveyed along the initialportion of a loading track, so that they may step gently on to terrafirma.

The acceleration or deceleration to which is subjected a passenger beingconveyed on a track can for examplebe such that the speed at the exitfrom a track may be four to five times greater than the entry speed inthe case of acceleration, and from four to five times less than thisentry speed in the case of deceleration.

In FIG. 1, the track for loading and accelerating passengers isreferenced 1A in the case of the first transporter, and is referenced 1Bin the case of the second transporter; correspondingly the unloading anddeceleration tracks are identified 2A or 2B.

Tracks 1A and 2A and tracks 18 and 2B in the two transporters shown inFIG. 1 are formed by the juxtaposition of a plurality of identicalplatforms 3 which are driven, as will be described below, along a closedcircuit, tracks 1A and 28 forming sectionsof the circuit of onetransporter and tracks IB and 2A forming sections of the circuit of theother transporter.

The sections of these two circuits which correspond to these tracks areconnected by two intermediate sections C and D in the case of the firsttransporter and by two intermediate sections C and D in the case of theother transporter which intermediate sections serve to lead theplatforms leaving track IA or 18 to the entry of track 2B or 2A and tolead the platforms leaving track 28 or 2A to the entry of track 1A or18.

Whereas the platforms must obviously be apparent along tracks 1A, 2A, 1Band 2Bto enable passengers to have access thereto, they are out of sightand preferably travelling in tunnels at a lower level when they aremoving along circuit sections C C D and D Tracks 1A and 1B and tracks 2Aand 2B are respectively bounded, except along belts A and B, bystationary walls 4 and 5 and stationary walls 4' and 5. These wallscould of course be replaced by any other suitable barrier means able toprevent passengers, once they have stepped on to the tracks from leavingthem except where they are meant to, or again from stepping on to thesetracks at a location other than that provided for boarding. Similarwalls or barriers are of course also provided along the moving belts Aand B and are only interrupted in the Zones where passengers are meantto step on to these belts or to step off them. Along these zones, whichare identified as l in FIG. 1, the speed at which the boarding andalighting tracks of the two transporters move should 'be substantiallyidentical to the speed of movement of belts A and B. Moreover, alongzones 1 the platforms 3 travelling along the tracks should preferablymove at the same level as the as sociated moving belt or at a levelwhich is only slightly lower or higher, such that passenger transferfrom an acceleration track to the belt or from the belt to adeceleration track remains easy for anybody.

Preferably also, the platforms are made to follow an excluwhich isbounded by one end of the corresponding walls 4' and 5 and is so gaugedas just to allow the simultaneous passage of four people, this beingensured by the provision of three partition walls 6a, 6b and 60.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 7, the platforms 3 of each transporter have theshape of a generally rhomboi d quadrilateral whose longitudinal sides 3aand 3b are parallel but whose two other, shorter, sides 30 and 3d areslightly convergent thereby defining at each end of the platform twodissimilar triangular surfaces the usefulness of which will becomeapparent later.

As is more readily apparent from FIG. 8, each platform 3 is provided, onits underside in the vicinity of its obtuse angles, with a pair ofdownwardly projecting studs 7a carrying at their free ends rollers 7which are respectively engaged in two channel section rails 8 and 9extending along the entire circuit followed by the platforms. Theserails form not only a rolling path for the platforms defining theirtrajectory, but also act as 7 guide means for maintaining each platformin a given angular position, for example relativelyto the direction oftravel of belts A and B, throughout displacement along the circuit.

At the two corners of the rectangle inscribed in the rhomboid outline ofeach platform that are not already occupied by rollers 7 are providedtwo rollers 10 which are pivotally,

mounted in housings 11 hollowed out in theactual sides 3a and 3b, theserollers being arranged to be slightly outstanding to facilitate anyrelative axial shifting to which the platforms may be subjected when injuxtaposition.

Each platform is coupled to its two adjacent platforms by two pairs oflevers, e.g'. 11a, 11b and 12a, 12b (FIG. 2), which are pivotallyconnected in pairs to form heads 14; at their inner ends the levers areagain connected together in pairs and to studs 13 lying at the center ofgravity of each platform. These levers together form a jointedcontinuous chain K (FIG. 2) by means of which the platforms can bedriven with the help of a motor (not shown) and by means of which therelative positionof the platforms can be controlled. Such control isachieved by varying the angle between the outer ends of each pair oflevers, such angular variation being obtained by causing the heads 14 toengage in and slide along a guide rail 15 which extends round the entirecircuit to be followed by the platforms, at a set distance from therails 8 and 9,.this

distance being dependent on the local radius of curvature of these tworails, on the speed at which the platforms travel and on the spacingthat is required between the platforms at each point along the circuit.

It will be observed, in this connection, that in the straight parts ofthe circuit where the speed of travel of the platforms will be constantthe trajectory followed by studs 13 at the centers of gravity of theplatforms coincides with that followed by the heads 14 of the chain oflevers or is at least parallel sively horizontal path over the remainderof the track, i.e. the

portion lying between the entry and the end of the wall 5 in the case ofacceleration track 1A or 1B or the portion lying between the exit andthe beginning of a wall 5' in the case of deceleration track 2A or 2B.However, it is not impossible to give a slightly ascending configurationor a slightly descending configuration to the part of each track that isbounded by wall 5 or 5' should circumstances so require it.

As shown, tracks 1A, 1B, 2A and 23 do not follow a wholly straightcourse but are curved along the portions thereof that are bordered bywalls 5 and 5' and it is along these curved portions that the previouslymentioned passenger acceleration or deceleration takes place in a mannerwhich will be described in greater detail below. The axis of access toan acceleration track or ofexit from a deceleration track and the axisof travel along the portion of each acceleration or deceleration trackwhich borders on belt A or B are therefore transversely disposed inrelation to each other.

In each of the illustrated transporters the opening providing access tothe associated acceleration track bounded by one end of thecorresponding walls 4 and 5 is of lesser width than the opening whichforms the exit of the deceleration track and thereto.

The distance between the rollers 7 of each platform, the path followedby the rails 8 and 9 as well as the variation of their spacing, thelength of the levers 11a, 11b, 12a and 12b in the chain K and the pathfollowed by their guide rail 15 are so chosen that, along the sectionsof the circuit corresponding to the acceleration and deceleration tracksthe platforms 3 travel along these tracks in such a way that theirlongitudinal axis or center line always maintains a constant orientationand forms an angle other than 0 or with the trajectory they follow whentravelling at maximum speed, i.e. along sections 1 in FIG.

1. Moreover these platforms are always in contact with one another alongat least part of their longitudinal sides 3a and 3b, over the entirelength of the track.

Because the platforms enter a track along a straight trajectory (FIG. 2)and likewise leave it along a straight trajectory but obliquely inrelation to the first one, it follows that they are required to travelalong a curved intermediateportion and if the platform center lines areto maintain a constant orientation throughout displacement along thetrack it follows that the platforms are required to carry out a relativesliding movement from left to right in FIG. 2 alongside one another asthey approach a moving belt.

In addition, the length of these platforms and the inclination given totheir side 30 relative to their longitudinal sides 3a and 3b -whichinclination is equal to that of these longitudinal sides relatively tothe trajectoryof the platforms along the maximum speed portion of thecircuit (segment I in FIG. 1) are such that the surface of the floorformed by the platforms along a track and bounded by wall 4 or 4', toone side, and by wall 5 or 5' and the adjacent edge of the belt A or Balong section I, to the other side, may in no way be discontinuous suchthat a passenger may, if need by, step without danger from one platformto another, even along those parts of the track where the speed oftravel of the platforms is greatest. Of course, what has just beenstated is likewise true for an acceleration track and a decelerationtrack. The drive for the various platforms comprised by each track isachieved by means common to all the platforms: it can for example beprovided by a synchronous linear motor or a rack device.

These features help to render the described transporter quite safethereby making it suitable for use in conjunction with heavy trafficpublic transport installations, such the one shown in FIG. 1.

The area allotted to each passenger arriving at the entry point of anacceleration track is indicated in FIG. 2 on the platforms by a circlep; it will be observed from an examination of the straight part I of theacceleration track, adjacent the moving belt, that the obliqueness ofthe platforms and their total length have moreover been so chosen thatthe passengers on one platform will not be inconvenienced by those .onthe preceding platform when the time comes for them to step on to amoving belt. Besides they are provided with an additional intermediatesurface formed by the trailing, triangular, portion of the precedingplatform. The same is, of course, true in the case of a decelerationtrack as regards passengers stepping off a moving belt on to this track.

In order that the passenger's may be conveyed in complete safety on thedescribed transporter, each platform has associated therewith fivesupport uprights 16 arranged in a row along the center line of theplatform on opposite sides of the circles p.

These uprights extend slidingly through holes 17 provided in theplatforms and at their lower end they are provided with a head 18defining an annular groove 18a; their height ranges from about 1.20 toabout 1.40 metres so that they may conveniently be grasped, even by verytall people.

- Each upright is engaged by its head in a cam-acting guide rail 20which can for example extend round the whole circuit of the transporterand be arranged at different levels, depending on whether it is laidalong the track-forming or operative portions of the circuit or it islaid along the other, inoperative, portions of the circuit. However, assuggested by FIGS. 3 and 4, rail 20 could be interrupted along theinoperative section of the circuit where the uprights 16 are in aretracted position. Thus rails 20 could consist, along each operativesection of the circuit, of an upwardly sloping portion at the beginningof this section to bring uprights 16 to their fully projected position,of a downwardly sloping portion at the end of the operative oftrack-forming section to bring uprights 16 to their fully retractedposition, and possibly a horizontal portion between these slopingportions to keep the upright 16 in their fully projected positionthroughout displacement of the platforms along this operative ortrack-forming section of the circuit.

Along the inoperative sections of the circuits the uprights travel alongtrenches as is apparent from FIGS. 3 and 4.

As will be seen from FIG. 3, which is a sectional view of the beginningof an acceleration track-forming section taken along the second row ofuprights from the right of FIG. 2 and through partition wall 60, theuprights 16 of each row are made successively to rise up through alongitudinal slot formed in the partition wall associated with a rowuntil they come to project slightly above the latter at their upper endsto an extent sufficient to enable them to be grasped. Thus, a passengerarriving at the point of entry of, for instance, track 1A of thetransporter will simultaneously see appearing before him the platform onwhich he is to step and the five uprights with which this platform isprovided.

.The width of the exit from deceleration track 2A or 2B is appreciablygreater than the width of the entry to acceleration track IA or 1Bthereby to facilitate and speed up the unloading of passengers on toterra firma (FIG. 2).

It is in order to enable this flaring out of the exit of track 2A or 2Bthat the platform sides 3d are not made parallel to the sides 30 as thishelps to provide the rhomboid platforms with a longer minor diagonal.

Also with a view to facilitating the unloading of passengers from thedeceleration tracks 2A and 2B, the uprights 16 at the end of thesetracks are made to retract rapidly by means, for instance, of thearrangement shown in FIGS. 4 to 6.

In the zone provided for the retraction of the uprights, at the far endof track '18, the floor 21 is formed with five slots 21a, 21b, 21c, 21dand 21e along the edges of which are provided overlapping sealing strips22a and 22b which are made of resilient material and which can belocally forced apart by an upright as it progresses along thecorresponding slot (FIG. 6).

These sealing strips are so constructed and so shaped that passengersstepping off the transporter can tread thereon without any risk of theirfeet being caught in the slot closed off by these sealing strips.

According to the modified constructional form of FIG, 12, each platformcomprises a central panel 23 having parallel edges and rounded ends onwhich are pivotally mountedtwo triangular flaps 24a, and 24b able tooccupy two angular positions as shown by the dash-dotted lines. Theplatforms are-provided, like the platforms 3 previously described, withguide rollers 7 and slide rollers 10; they can be connected to each.

other by means of a chain of levers similar to the one illustrated inFIG. 2.

The platform construction which has just been described makes itpossible to design tracks of different configurations and comprisingseveral sections that are curved eitherway (as in the FIG. 14arrangement) and along which these platforms can move either obliquelyrelatively to their axis of displacement, as along section Q in FIG. 13,or coaxially with this axis, as along section R in FIG. 13. The angularpositioning of the flaps 24a and 24b of each platform can convenientlybe controlled by appropriately mounted guide rails engaged by rollersprovided on the underside of the flaps.

A quadrilateral shape with oblique inclined front sides is not of coursethe only onethat is possible for the platforms of a transporteraccording to the invention. Also, the shape of the circuit followed bythe platforms can. be very different from the one shown in FIG. 1 andcan be adapted to suit different cases as required.

Preferably, the deceleration and acceleration tracks are so arrangedalong the moving belts of a conveyor-belt passenger transportinstallation that a deceleration track is located ahead of anacceleration track along each belt, viewed in the direction of travel ofthis belt, as in the FIGS. 1 and 9 arrange ments, so that the passengerswho have reached their destination canget off the belt they aretravelling on before new passengers can get on. In this way anyinterference caused by the presence on the belt of people about todisembark will be avoided during boarding.

In contradistinction to the arrangement adopted for the boarding andalighting station of FIG. 1, where belts A and B are spaced apart andare separated from each other by the presence of two passenger alightingtracks, belts A and B in the FIGS. 9 and 10 construction are adjacentone another and the loading and unloading for each belt is effectedalong their outer edges.

In the FIG. 9 transporter, each platform comprises, as shown in FIG. II,a main panel 25 whose left end 25a forms a triangle having two equalsides 26a and 26b symmetrically disposed in relation to the center lineof the platform. Along these sides 26a and 26b are hingedly mountedtriangular flaps 27 and 28 whose bases 27a and 28a are in alignment withthe longitudinal sides of panel 25, whose second sides are coextensivewith .the sides 26a and 26b of triangle 25a and whose third sides are inalignment with side 26b, in the case of flap 27, and with side 26a, inthe case of flap 28.

These flaps 27 and 28 are not meant to be both in a horizontal positionall the time, as shown in FIG. 11, that is in coplanar relationship withpanel 25, and alongside beltsA and B, either one or the other is swungdownwards to a vertical retracted or inoperative position, depending onthe position of the platform'relative to its associated moving belt.

This swinging motion of the flaps can be controlled by any appropriatemeans as, for instance, those already described, i.e. rails and rollers,wherever it is essential to achieve correct positioning of the platformsalong the circuit over which they I are required to travel while alsoenabling them to form a continuous surface along the operative,passenger carrying, sections of the circuit.

As will be appreciated from the right-hand part of FIG. 10, when aplatform passes from the acceleration track forming portion of thecircuit to the deceleration track forming portion of the circuit, oneflap, say 28, is moved to its lowered position whereas the other flap,say 27, is moved to its raised position, in coplanar relationship withpanel 25. i

The right-hand end of each platform viewed in FIG. I1 is cut at rightangles and the length of each platform is arranged to be sufficient forthe surface of the floors formed by the platforms to be continuous alongboth the acceleration and deceleration tracks.

In the acceleration'track case, the portion of a platform marked out inFIG. 11 by the oblique broken line m is the minimum area at that end ofthe platform that remains unused at any time along the accelerationtrack whereas in the deceleration track case it is a symmetrical portionmarked out by the broken line n which corresponds to the minimum area atthat end of the platform which remains unused at any time along thedeceleration track, i.e. along the maximum speed sections of thesetracks.

The relative and actual positioning of the various platforms and theirdrive are achieved in a way similar to that described in relation tothearrangement illustrated in FIG. 2, i.e. by means of guide and supportingrollers and of a chain of levers.

Moreover the platforms of the FIGS, 9 and 10 construction are alsoequipped with vertically slidable support uprights, which are movedupwards into the operative projected position at the beginning of eachacceleration or deceleration track or downwards beneath the platformsupon the latter reaching the end of these tracks.

In the FIG. 14 arrangement, two transporters are placed wholly betweentwo moving belts A and B, the circuit of each of these transportersincluding, as in 'the FIG. 1 construction, an acceleration trackassociated with one belt and a deceleration track associated with theother belt.

The FIG. 15 arrangement, wherein two moving belts A and B are setrelatively near to each other, is in some ways similar to the FIG. 1construction except that provision is made for the final part of thedeceleration track of each transporter to dip and to form a series ofsteps in order to pass underneath the moving belt with which thisdeceleration track is associated.

By way of variant, this last part of each deceleration track could bemade to pass over the associated belt.

In FIG. 16 is shown a transporter arrangement which is particularlysuited for a terminal station in a passenger transport system having twomoving belts A and B. Here, the transporter comprises two accelerationand deceleration tracks 1A and 1B which are connected at one end by acircuit section lC of which only part is shown. At the other end tracks1A and 1B are connected to each other as shown in FIGSv 9 and 10.

Passenger transporters according to the invention are not only intendedto increase the speed of passengers to an extent sufficient to allowthem to step without any trouble on to a moving belt oragain to enablepassengers to step off this belt and subsequently reducing their speedto an extent such as to make alighting easy even for old or handicappedpeople, but

can be combined, as shown in FIG. 17, with another similar transporterin order to form a single closed circuit including a first track forconveying passengers from a point A to a point B and a second track forconveying passengers from point B to point A. i

In such a circuit, x indicates two transport sections which can be ofany length, depending on the distance separating points A and B, andalong which passengers are conveyed at a constant maximum speed V yindicates two sections along which passengers are accelerated from aminimum speed V to said maximum speed V and z indicates two sectionsalong which passengers are decelerated from speed V, to speed V, so thatthey can alight.

The arcuate sections which connect sections y and z at the ends of thecircuit are preferably covered with flooring to enable passengers tohave access to sections y or to alight from sections 2.

We claim:

1. A transporter, in particular for conveying passengers, comprising aplurality of transport platforms which have parallel longitudinal sidesand which are arranged to travel over a closed circuit, common drivemeans for driving said platforms at a relatively low speed transverselyto their respective longitudinal axis across a loading or unloading zoneof said circuit and at a higher speed over at least one transportsection of said circuit along a trajectory which is transverse to theone followed by said platforms when moving at said low speed, saidcircuit including at least one link section lying between said transportsection and said loading or unloading zone over which the speed of eachplatform is brought gradually from its higher value to its lower valueor vice versa, and means for defining a passageway to be followed by theusers over the portion of the circuit lying between said loading orunloading zone and the terminal or starting end of said transportsection respectively, said transporter further comprising guide meansfor guiding said platforms in their move ment such that each platformremains in mutual contact with its two adjacent platforms along .atleast part of its longitudinal sides throughout displacement along saidpassageway, the forward motion of said platforms, at least along saidhigher speed transport section of the circuit, taking place at anangular position such that the longitudinal side of said platforms formin relation to their direction of motion angle lying between 0 and andthe lengthwise extent of said platforms being at least sufficient toform a continuous moving floor over the entire area of said passageway.

2. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein the platforms arequadrilaterals and wherein at least one of the two sides of eachplatform which lie between the said longitudinal sides forms therewithan angle corresponding to that of the inclination of these longitudinalsides relatively to the trajectory of said platform along the higherspeed transport section.

3. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein each platform comprises apanel having parallel longitudinal edges, defining the longitudinalsides of said platform, and symmetrical triangular end portions, the twooblique edges of said portions each forming with the longitudinal edgeof the panel adjacent thereto an angle which corresponds to that atwhich the longitudinal sides of the platform lie relatively to itstrajectory along the higher speed transport section of said circuit, andfurther comprises two triangular flaps each hinged along one of the saidoblique edges and selectively movable into a first, operative, positionin coplanar relationship with said panel and a second, inoperative,downwardly folded position, each flap having a first edge parallel tosaid one oblique edge on which it is hinged, a second edge in alignmentwith the adjacent longitudinal edge of said panel, when said flap israised into its operative position, and a third edge in alignment withthe other of said two oblique edges in said raised operative position ofsaid flap.

4. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein each platform comprises acentral panel having parallel longitudinal edges, defining thelongitudinal sides of said platform, and two I triangular flapspivotally mounted on opposite ends of said panel, and wherein means areprovided for selectively swinging each flap into a first operativeposition in which one of the edges of said flap is in substantialalignment with one longitudinal edge of said panel, and into a secondoperative position in which the other edge of said flap is insubstantial alignment with the other longitudinal edge of said panel.

5. A transporter according to claim 4, wherein said platform-guidingmeans are so adapted that when said platforms follow a curvedtrajectory, at a constant speed of travel, they come into contact atdiagonally opposite ends of the longitudinal sides of their centralpanels, and that the triangular flaps of each platform come intocontact, one with one of the longitudinal sides of the first platformthat is adjacent thereto and the other with the other longitudinal sideof the second adjacent platform. 4

6. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein each platform is formedwith at least one vertical hole through which extends an upright rod forthe support of passengers. means being provided for causing said rod toslide upwardly into a projecting, operative, position upon said platformreaching the entry of said passageway and downwardly into a retracted,

inoperative, position upon said platform reaching the exit of "saidpassageway, said rod-actuating means maintaining said rod in saidprojecting position throughout displacement of said platform along saidpassageway and in said retracted position while said platform movesalong said link section of the circuit.

7. A transporter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rod is provided atits lower end with a head and wherein said rod-actuating means include aguide rail for engaging said head, said guide rail being so shaped as toform a cam controlling vertical movement of said rod relatively to saidplatform.

8. A transporter according to claim 7, wherein each platform is providedwith at least two upright support rods which form in said passagewaytogether with the rods of the other platforms two separate rows, whereinsaid rod-actuating means include, per row of rods, at least one guiderail extending over at least onepart of its length upstream of theloading zone or downstream of the unloading zone, respectively, and overanother part of its length downstream from the terminal or starting endof said transport section respectively, and wherein a trench is providedfor the passage of the rods of each row in their retracted position,said trench extending along said link section of the circuit and saidguide rails extending from the bottom of said trench to the edge thereofand vice versa in the zones of the circuit where they are required toeffect upward or downward actuation of the rods.

9. A transporter according to claim 8, wherein partition walls areprovided at the entry to said passageway in the loading zone forchannelling passengers entering said passageway, said walls being equalin number to the rows of support rods and being each arranged in theline of motion of a particular row, and wherein each wall islongitudinally slotted whereby said rods may pass thereinto duringupward movement thereof, and has a height less than the height of therods in their projecting position whereby said rods may successivelyemerge from the top of said 'wall to an extent which isat leastsufficient for them to be grasped by oncoming passengers.

10. A transporter according to claim 8, wherein, downstream from theexit of said passageway in the unloading zone, are provided a pluralityof slots equal in number to the rows of support rods and communicatingwith said trench, and wherein the edges of each slot are provided withelastic strips which normally close off said slot through overlappingone another, said strips having a rigidity such that they cannot flex

1. A transporter, in particular for conveying passengers, comprising aplurality of transport platforms which have parallel longitudinal sidesand which are arranged to travel over a closed circuit, common drivemeans for driving said platforms at a relatively low speed transverselyto their respective longitudinal axis across a loading or unloading zoneof said circuit and at a higher speed over at least one transportsection of said circuit along a trajectory which is transverse to theone followed by said platforms when moving at said low speed, saidcircuit including at least one link section lying between said transportsection and said loading or unloading zone over which the speed of eachplatform is brought gradually from its higher value to its lower valueor vice versa, and means for defining a passageway to be followed by theusers over the portion of the circuit lying between said loading orunloading zone and the terminal or starting end of said transportsection respectively, said transporter further comprising guide meansfor guiding said platforms in their movement such that each platformremains in mutual contact with its two adjacent platforms along at leastpart of its longitudinal sides throughout displacement along saidpassageway, the forward motion of said platforms, at least along saidhigher speed transport section of the circuit, taking place at anangular position such that the longitudinal side of said platforms formin relation to their direction of motion angle lying between 0* and 90*and the lengthwise extent of said platforms being at least sufficient toform a continuous moving floor over the entire area of said passageway.2. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein the platforms arequadrilaterals and wherein at least one of the two sides of eachplatform which lie between the said longitudinal sides forms therewithan angle corresponding to that of the inclination of these longitudinalsides relatively to the trajectory of said platform along the higherspeed transport section.
 3. A transporter according to claim 1, whereineach platform comprises a panel having parallel longitudinal edges,defining the longitudinal sides of said platform, and symmetricaltriangular end portions, the two oblique edges of said portions eachforming with the longitudinal edge of the panel adjacent thereto anangle which corresponds to that at which the longitudinal sides of theplatform lie relatively to its trajectory along the higher speedtransport section of said circuit, and further comprises two triangularflaps each hinged along one of the said oblique edges and selectivelymovable into a first, operative, position in coplanar relationship withsaid panel and a second, inoperative, downwardly folded position, eachflap having a first edge parallel to said one oblique edge on which itis hinged, a second edge in alignment with the adjacent longitudinaledge of said panel, when said flap is raised into its operativeposition, and a third edge in alignment with the other of said twooblique edges in said raised operative position of said flap.
 4. Atransporter according to claim 1, wherein each platform comprises acentral panel having parallel longitudinal edges, defining thelongitudinal sides of said platform, and two triangular flaps pivotallymounted on opposite ends of said panel, and wherein means are providedfor selectively swinging each flap into a first operative position inwhich one of the edges of said flap is in substantial alignment with onelongitudinal edge of said panel, and into a second operative position inwhich the other edge of said flap is in substantial alignment with theother longitudinal edge of said panel.
 5. A transporter according toclaim 4, wherein said platform-guiding means are so adapted that whensaid platforms follow a curved trajectory, at a constant speed oftravel, they come into contact at diagonally opposite ends of thelongitudinal sides of their central panels, and that the triangularflaps of each platform come into contact, one with one of thelongitudinal sides of the first platform that is adjacent thereto andthe other with the other longitudinal side of the second adjacentplatform.
 6. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein each platformis formed with at least one vertical hole through which extends anupright rod for the support of passengers, means being provided forcausing said rod to slide upwardly into a projecting, operative,position upon said platform reaching the entry of said passageway anddownwardly into a retracted, inoperative, position upon said platformreaching the exit of said passageway, said rod-actuating meansmaintaining said rod in said projecting position throughout displacementof said platform along said passageway and in said retracted positionwhile said platform moves along said link section of the circuit.
 7. Atransporter as claimed in claim 6, wherein said rod is provided at itslower end with a head and wherein said rod-actuating means include aguide rail for engaging said head, said guide rail being so shaped as toform a cam controlling vertical movement of said rod relatively to saidplatform.
 8. A transporter according to claim 7, wherein each platformis provided with at least two upright support rods which form in saidpassageway together with the rods of the other platforms two separaterows, wherein said rod-actuating means include, per row of rods, atleast one guide rail extending over at least one part of its lengthupstream of the loading zone or downstream of the unloading zone,respectively, and over another part of its length downstream from theterminal or starting end of said transport section respectively, andwherein a trench is provided for the passage of the rods of each row intheir retracted position, said trench extending along said link sectionof the circuit and said guide rails extending from the bottom of saidtrench to the edge thereof and vice versa in the zones of the circuitwhere they are required to effect upward or downward actuation of therods.
 9. A transporter according to claim 8, wherein partition walls areprovided at the entry to said passageway in the loading zone forchannelling passengers entering said passageway, said walls being equalin number to the rows of support rods and being each arranged in theline of motion of a particular row, and wherein each wall islongitudinally slotted whereby said rods may pass thereinto duringupward movement thereof, and has a height less than the height of therods in their projecting position whereby said rods may successivelyemerge from the top of said wall to an extent which is at leastsufficient for them to be grasped by oncoming passengers.
 10. Atransporter according to claim 8, wherein, downstream from the exit ofsaid passageway in the unloading zone, are provided a plurality of slotsequal in number to the rows of support rods and communicating with saidtrench, and wherein the edges of each slot are provided with elasticstrips which normally close off said slot through overlapping oneanother, said strips having a rigIdity such that they cannot flexvertically under the mere weight of passengers whereas they are adaptedto open upon passage of a rod, promptly to close again after suchpassage.
 11. A transporter according to claim 1, wherein the width ofthe entry to said passageway, in the loading zone, is less than thewidth of the exit from said passageway, in the unloading zone.